Chapter 5

Ares reappeared in Zeus' throne room, interrupting his reading of the daily reports from the world below. Startled, Zeus looked up at Ares, "Ares, what's wrong?!"

"Gabrielle is in trouble, Dad." Ares tersely replied. "Read this," he said, passing Zeus the scroll.

It read:

Hey Ares! Guess who? Remember me? Callisto? Guess you're wondering how I got out of Tartarus. What a joke! You and Zeus should have remembered the bracelet that I stole from Hera. I gave it to Gabrielle. It called me back from Tartarus when she thought my name and rubbed the bracelet at the same time. Enough about me... as much as that is my favorite subject.

Your new little friend made me lose the hind's blood. Bring it to me, or Gabrielle is dead.

Meet me at Black Tower tomorrow at noon.

Hate Ya!

Callisto



As he finished reading the note, Zeus looked up to see Ares' face bright red, and blue flames crackling around his ears. Alarmed, Zeus threw a big jug of ambrosia over Ares and watched as the flames disappeared and his face returned to normal.

"Thanks, Dad. I thought I was really going to blow my top."

"Ares, you have to get Gabrielle back alive, but we can't give Callisto the hind's blood."

"I know, Dad. I think that I need you to create a diversion for me."

"Okay. What were you thinking of?"

"Oh, just drop something on her so I can whisk Gabrielle away. She must be keeping her in the tower."

"That sounds like Callisto," said Zeus. "She always did like to hide people in plain sight."

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The next day at noon, Ares appeared at Black Tower. It was a place long-forgotten by mortals.... only known in fairytales. It had no doors and one window at the top. Inside that window was a small room. It held only a bed, and a pile of scrolls in the corner. At this time, it also held a very frightened Gabrielle, and a very nasty Callisto.

"How many stories have you written about me?" asked Callisto, staring down at Gabrielle, who was sitting on the floor, with a scroll on her lap and a pen in her hand.

"I have just finished the third one," replied Gabrielle, hoping that was enough.

"Good," said Callisto. "But I want more. I want everyone to know how powerful I am. You had better write more before I kill you."

""I thought that you weren't going to kill me if Ares gave you the hind's blood."

"So I lied," said Callisto with a smirk, as she disappeared in a burst of green light.

- TBC -